How to vent a fitted wardrobe

[Andrew Manson]

I'm making some fitted wardrobes to mount on a cold wall. I'm going to put an air gap in. The doors will be solid. Should I be venting both the back of the wardrobes to protect from mould build up behind, and also on the doors (or sides) of the wardrobe to protect clothes on the interior?

 

[Chrispy]

As far as I understand your question as long as the wall is basically dry then you either need to stop warm damp air getting to it or allow enough warm air to raise its temperature above the dew point to prevent damp forming.
So if you have the space insulate behind the wardrobe then a vapour barrier then your robe and vent the robe itself.

But that's just my take on it.

 

[Vulcan]

Our built in wardrobes were a nightmare for damp. I ripped them out and bought free standing. A friend had the same problem and he added some insulation but I’m not sure it entirely rectified the problem. Good luck!

 

[Deckerwoodworking]

Our built in wardrobes were a nightmare for damp. I ripped them out and bought free standing. A friend had the same problem and he added some insulation but I’m not sure it entirely rectified the problem. Good luck!

I run a dehumidifier in the bedroom. Wardrobe doors are kept closed .one wall is an outside wall . Problem solved .

 

[Doug71]

I fitted some fitted wardrobes in alcoves for a customer last summer, one of them had it's side and back to a solid external wall (about 50mm gap between though). The wardrobes were a very traditional style with a large cornice around, I had planned on leaving a 6" gap above them to the ceiling but the customers wife wanted the fully fitted look so the gap got filled and the infill painted the same colour as the walls.

Just before last Christmas I got a call saying they were having an issue with mould forming in the wardrobe, I think it didn't help that it was a guest bedroom so the wardrobes were stuffed full of spare clothes but never got opened.

I fitted some grilles/vents in the skirting at the bottom and drilled some vent holes just above the cornice which you couldn't see unless you were up a ladder, this got some air flow to the cavity behind the wardrobe. I also suggested they open the doors on the wardrobes now and again.

It seemed to solve the problem and I have done loads more work for them this year.

 

[niall Y]

I have an old armoire in a downstairs bedroom The bedroom was converted from a garage which was fully insulated in compliance with building regulations. Despite it being a free standing piece of furniture, not touching the wall, and with plenty of air circulating around it, I have still had problems with the clothes in it, which began to smell quite musky.
I put this down to the lack of heat in the bedroom, This has since been remedied and the problem has not reoccurred

 

[scholar]

Insulate as well as possible behind the wardrobe plus a vapour barrier as has been suggested already.

I chanced upon this video yesterday, being interested in internal insulation solutions - looks a sad case that certainly indicates the risks - the product featured may be alright, I don’t know. I am favouring Marmox Multiboard which I have successfully used before.


(Btw I wouldn’t be vacuuming the mould as he did)

This is the Marmox atuff

Cheers

 

[Andrew Manson]

As far as I understand your question as long as the wall is basically dry then you either need to stop warm damp air getting to it or allow enough warm air to raise its temperature above the dew point to prevent damp forming.
So if you have the space insulate behind the wardrobe then a vapour barrier then your robe and vent the robe itself.

But that's just my take on it.

Many thanks - thats really helpful

 

[Andrew Manson]

I fitted some fitted wardrobes in alcoves for a customer last summer, one of them had it's side and back to a solid external wall (about 50mm gap between though). The wardrobes were a very traditional style with a large cornice around, I had planned on leaving a 6" gap above them to the ceiling but the customers wife wanted the fully fitted look so the gap got filled and the infill painted the same colour as the walls.

Just before last Christmas I got a call saying they were having an issue with mould forming in the wardrobe, I think it didn't help that it was a guest bedroom so the wardrobes were stuffed full of spare clothes but never got opened.

I fitted some grilles/vents in the skirting at the bottom and drilled some vent holes just above the cornice which you couldn't see unless you were up a ladder, this got some air flow to the cavity behind the wardrobe. I also suggested they open the doors on the wardrobes now and again.

It seemed to solve the problem and I have done loads more work for them this year.

Many thanks for this - really helpful

 

[Andrew Manson]

Insulate as well as possible behind the wardrobe plus a vapour barrier as has been suggested already.

I chanced upon this video yesterday, being interested in internal insulation solutions - looks a sad case that certainly indicates the risks - the product featured may be alright, I don’t know. I am favouring Marmox Multiboard which I have successfully used before.


(Btw I wouldn’t be vacuuming the mould as he did)

This is the Marmox atuff

Cheers

Many thanks for this. Will explore that vid!

 

[Andrew Manson]

I run a dehumidifier in the bedroom. Wardrobe doors are kept closed .one wall is an outside wall . Problem solved .

Doesn't keeping wardrobe doors shut lock in any damp inside the wardrobe? Sorry if I've misunderstood.